Building structure



Aug. 4, 1959 H. E. HAWTHORNE BUILDING STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1955 HARRY E. HAWTHOME INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY g- 1959 H. E. HAWTHORNE 2,897,926

BUILDING STRUCTURE 3-Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 12, 1955 HARRY E. HAWTHORNE INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY United States Patent BUILDING STRUCTURE Harry E. Hawthorne, Houston, Tex.

Application January 12, 1955, Serial No. 481,325

2 Claims. (Cl. 189--3) The present invention relates to an improvement in building structures.

Present day building structures have load carrying beam and structural supports which are provided primarily for their load support characteristics. Generally speaking, the wall construction is treated as an additional load factor which must be taken'into consideration in determining the type and size beam and structural support to be provided in the building. The wall is not primarily designed or adapted tolend additional structural support to the beams, but is primarily considered for its enclosing features.

The present invention overcomes this problem in providing a structural unit that serves both as a wall unit and which also, in cooperation with other structural units, forms a column structure so that the wall, while serving as an enclosure also provides structural strength for the building. The invention provides not only a novel wall panel construction, but one which incorporates a column unit which eliminates the necessity of providing sepa rate beams or columns to support the wall panel. The wall panel is constructed so that it provides additional support for the structure in which it is used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure including a panel comprising a body which has spaced portions extending in generally the same plane with intermediate portions connecting the spaced portions together, which intermediate portions are of a general V-shapecl configuration to provide additional strength to the panel whereby the panel provides additional support to the structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a structural panel comprising a body which has spaced portions extending in generally the same plane with intermediate portions connecting the spaced portions together, which intermediate portions are of a general V-shaped configuration to provide additional strength to the panel .and a strip portion secured along the edges of the panel and having its ends flared outwardly beyond the panel .so that adjacent panels may be secured together by engaging the fiared portions of adjacent strip portions to simultaneously form a structure and a support column for the' structure.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a panel unit having a protruding strip along its vertical edges whereby adjacent panel units may be secured together by fastening the strips of such adjacent units together.

Still a further object is to provide a structure which eliminates separate vertical support columns comprising, longitudinally extending corrugated panel members, a strip along each vertical edge of the panel member and projecting outwardly at an angle beyond each vertical edge, and means for securing a plurality of adjacently positioned strips together at the juncture of said projecting strips for forming a hollow columnar structure which supports the panel members.

Still another object is to provide a grain bin having side walls which are formed at an angle greater than the angle of repose of normal grains to aid in discharging the grain from the bin, said side walls having vertical strips which may be joined together for forming a support column for the side wall.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating a grain bin structure incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, partly in section illustrating a form of the panel unit;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing adjacent strips of panel members and a means of securing them together to form a hollow column.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a roof column telescoped into the column shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of a grain bin illustrating a roof supported thereon in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

Attention is directed to Fig. 1 wherein a building structure is indicated at 2. The present invention is illustrated in the drawings and is described herein in detail as applying to building structures for use in storing grains; however, it seems obvious that the invention may be used in any suitable building structure but the illustration of the grain bin and reference in detailherein is i made thereto solely for the purpose of exemplification.

As shown in Fig. l, the structure 2 is mounted on the supporting framework 3 of any suitable design and which framework may be of any desired height to provide a means of ready access to the hoppers 4 on the lower end 5 of the structures whereby the material in the bins may be discharged as desired by manipulating the slide door 6 at the bottom thereof.

The structure 2 may comprise a plurality of units or bins 7 as shown in Fig. 3 and are adapted to be positioned together whereby a maximum of material may be stored in a minimum of space and may be transported into the various bins thus clustered together with a minimum amount of conveying and power equipment. Any suitable or desired number of bins 7 may be positioned together depending upon the capacity for which the structure 2 is designed.

It is to be noted that the inside walls 8 of the bins 7 serve as walls for adjacent bins, thus eliminating the necessity of providing separate walls for each bin. The walls 8 of the structure 2 are formed of longitudinally extending panel members 9 more clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings where a segment 10 of a panel member is shown.

The panel member denoted generally at 9 serves the dual function of an enclosing wall as well as providing structural strength to the building structure. To this end, the panel may be considered as consisting of a body 11, which body includes a plurality of spaced portions- 12 which extend in generally the same plane, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Intermediate portions 14 which extend out of the plane of the portions 12, converge toward each other and are connected at their inner ends by portion 13 to form a continuous surface between the spaced portions 12. The offset intermediate portions increase the structural strength of the panel members 9 and provide a unit that can, in addition to its normal enclosing function, function as a structural support member.

Generally speaking the panel members 9 are corrugated with the angle of corrugation being such that grains will fiow freely from the structure 2 when the hopper 4 is opened. When the panel member is used in structures other than grain storage bins, the angle of corrugation is not particularly critical-except that it must be'maintained within a suitable angle so as to withstand the load for which the structure is designed.

The panel 9 also serves as a means of forming a column within a structure, thereby obviating the necessity and expense of providing separate beaming and a structural support. Secured along opposite vertical edges of the panel 9 is the strip or strip portion15. Such strip may be secured to the panel 9 by any suitable means such as by welding or the like.

The strip 15 is wider than the depth of the corrugations in the panel 9 and its edges are flared outwardly at approximately 135 relative to the side of the strip portion secured to the panel 9 as illustrated at 16 in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Adjacent strips 15 are secured together by any suitable means such as bolts 17 and nuts 18 engaged therewith.

As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, four adjacent panel members may be secured together to form a juncture of the building structure and simultaneously form a structural column 19. Such column is integrated with the structure as are the panels 9, since the panels 9 in efiect form the column as they are secured together in the building of the structure. Separate strip portions 20 may be provided for outside corners as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The lower edge 21 of the panel is secured to the top 22 of the frame structure 3 by any suitable means such as by welding as illustrated at 24 in Fig. 2. A separate plate 25 is positioned at the bottom of the bin to prevent collection of grains as the bin empties.

If a roof is to be provided for the building structure, it may be easily anchored in position by providing projections 26 which depend downwardly from the main roof structure 27, as shown in Fig. 5, to telescopically engage in the hollow columns 19 formed by the juncture of the strips 15 of panel members 9. While a gable roof is shown in the drawings, it seems obvious that any type of roof as desired may be utilized and anchored in a similar manner. The projections 26 are secured in their telescoped position in columns 19 by a stop 35 secured thereto which engages on the top 36 of the column 19.

The telescoping support arrangement described with regard to the depending projections 26 of roof 27 and columns 19, may also be used to support machinery, conveyor belts, and manwalks Within the top of the structure 2.

It should also be noted that the arrangement of the panels 9 and strips 15 is such that easy access may be had to the flared portion 16 of the strips whereby adjacent flared portions may be quickly and easily secured together. This enables the structure to be quickly assembled without sacrificing structural strength or appearance.

As previously mentioned, the invention has been described with particular reference to a grain storage bin structure; however, the panel units may be utilized to form any desired structure without regard to function or use of the building. The panel units 9 may be of any suitable length and in some cases it may be desirable or necessary to provide a plurality of units in end to end relation to form a building of desired height.

However, it is contemplated that variations as to size, type or style of building may be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention.

The incorporation of the columns and panels into a single structural unit not only materially reduces the expense of materials for a normal structure, but it facilitates assembly and disassembly of a building structure since it is unnecessary to first provide a frame-work to support not only the load to be housed in the structure, but also the dead weight of the walls. The present invention provides a structural unit which not only forms a decorative wall enclosure, but which also provides a columnar and structural load supporting member.

Broadly the invention relates to a structural unit which comprises a panel member constructed and arranged to form with similar members a load carrying columnar and structural support.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination Wall and column structure comprising, a corrugated panel member, a strip portion secured along the vertical side edges of said panel member, said strip portion extending longitudinally of said panel memher, said strip portion being of greater width than the depth of said corrugated panel member and having each of its vertical edges positioned angularly at approximately 135 relative to the side of the strip portion secured to the vertical edges of said panel member, a second corrugated panel member aligned with and adjacent said first named corrugated panel member but in spaced relation thereto, a strip portion secured along the vertical side edges of said second corrugated panel member and in spaced relation to said strip portion on said first named corrugated panel member, said strip portion on said second corrugated panel member being of greater width than the depth of said second corrugated panel member and having each of its vertical edges positioned angularly at approximately 135 relative to the side of the strip portion secured to the vertical edges of said second corrugated panel member, and additional strip portions of similar construction as said strip portions on said panel members and fitting between said strip portions on each of said adjacent, spaced corrugated panel members, said angularly positioned edges of adjacent strip portions being in contact, and means securing adjacent angularly positioned edges of said strip portions together, said means thereby interconnecting said strip portions and thereby forming a column supporting said adjacent panel members.

2. A combination wall and column structure comprising, a corrugated panel member, a strip portion secured along the vertical side edges of said panel memher, said strip portion extending longitudinally of said panel member, said strip portion being of greater width than the depth of said corrugated panel member and having each of its vertical edges positioned angularly at approximately 135 relative to the side of the strip portion secured to the vertical edges of said panel member, a second corrugaed panel member adjacent said first named corrugated panel member and positioned at approximately relative thereto, a strip portion secured along the vertical side edges of said second corrugated panel member, said strip portion on said second corrugated panel member being of greater width than the depth of said second corrugated panel member and having each of its vertical edges positioned angularly at approximately l35 relative to the side of the strip portion secured to the vertical edges of said second corrugated panel member, one of the angularly positioned edges on said strip portion on said first panel member engaging one of the angularly positioned edges on said strip portion on said second panel member, and additional strip portions of similar construction as said strip portion on said panel members and fitting adjacent said strip portions on each of said adjacent corrugated panel members, said angularly positioned edges of adjacent strip portions being in contact, and means securing said angularly positioned edges of said strip portions together, said means thereby interconnecting said strip portions and thereby forming a column supporting said adjacent panel members.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Holmes Mar. 28, 1882 Butz Sept. 9, 1884 Pruden Nov. 14, 1911 Van Dorn Nov. 7, 1916 Thumm Jan. 16, 1940 Thompson July 16, 1940 Buck et a1. Aug. 13, 1940 10 

